2005 Acura RL check charging system...
 

Can someone tell me what might be wrong...all of a sudden my check charging system light comes on and steering is almost impossible. Thankfully this just happened while I was across the street from my home so I was able to get it back home. Check charging system in the owner's book says battery issue, but just replaced my battery in december at the dealership. i'm thinking its something with the power steering because it took all of my muscle to turn the wheel to get home. thanks in advance.

eyes on the serpentine belt will tell the story

Check the Serp belt and tensioner.

I thought at first from this post that this car might have electrically assisted steering, but from your posts, we have hydraulic?

:thumbsup:

After doing more research, i think it's the serp belt...all the symptoms point that that. Thanks guys!

check the tensioner/idle pulley. if that is seized it will just destroy another belt

Actually, this could be strictly a charging system issue by itself. The RL does have a ECPS feature that assists in allowing power steering function to be a minimal effort. If you experienced a brief, increased effort of power steering operation, chances are the adaptive electrical priority system (not an actual module/computer but a system of modules) were deactivating certain features of the vehicle that would allow either the vehicles operating voltage to increase or allow the possibility of "limping" the vehicle to a destination in which in could be safely parked or repaired. Don't expect the problem to disappear or be a one time thing, take it to an electrical capable repair facility that has both the knowledge and experience of determining what your intermittent issue could be before it becomes a hard fault and leaves you stranded somewhere. Never ignore precursers or you will be sorry you did. Trust me, most of my customers do just that: wait until its too late.

This post caught my attention because I have a 2005 RL and have always had a very tight (difficult to turn) steering wheel, I wrote it off to the AWD system. I have had my Acura service department look at the steering and they said it was normal however when I have a loaner car or rental car the steering wheel is much easier to turn, anyone else have a a similar steering experience.

I'm having the car towed in to the shop. It's impossible for me to drive without proper power steering. The A/C also stopped working...it's just blowing out hot air. So from what I can see, the "check charging system" light is on, i have no power steering, and the A/C is blowing hot air. I'm just hoping the repair isn't too costly :(

After this latest Boston Blizzard, I go outside to move my car after 2 days of shoveling and my Check Charging system light came on. I just had my battery replaced in October. I understand it could be the alternator but now by Check SHAWD light came on and I have no power steering.
About 6 months ago, I had the 100k mile service completed where they changed belts and tensioners. I got all the impacted snow out but I am still having issues.

Any advice?

Jessica

I would say battery, but the PS loss sounds like a sounds like a slipping belt.

Try to get it started and drive it around (or at least let it run) for 30 min. Sometimes batteries lose charge from a cold snap and just need to be recharged. Another member had a similar issue (not the power steering) last month and didn't have any issues after driving it, so see what that does.

Will I harm anything if I let it run and the belt has slipped off? I can't drive it because the power steering is completely not working. It took me all my strength to move it out of the snow bank. Which belt is associated with the Power Steering?

Thanks for the help in advance.

Jessica

The serpentine belt should be driving all of your accessory systems. I honestly can't answer your first question. I would take a look under the hood after it starts and look for the belt running. If it is, I suspect you would hear an issue or see power steering fluid leaking if there was a catastrophic failure. :dunno:

If it's not running, turn the car off. I think your battery would be the only victim because of no alternator. The other accessories should be fine.

Thank you,
I just had the 100k service done and I believe the Belts were replaced with that service @ Acura. I am wondering if the belts are covered under warranty of work? I guess I will have to have it towed to the dealer again. ugh

as for drivability... if the PS and the alt isnt working, then the water pump also isnt working. :2cents:

I would have the dealer come pick it up on their dime, as well as a loaner.

The car starts fine, no hesitation. So I am questioning if its the alternator. But I definitely have no Power Steering and the Check SHAWD light has come on. The car has only been sitting for 2 days but it has been brutally cold.
I am not even sure where to start with this one.

-Jessica

The car starts cause the battery is good and the starter isnt belt driven... the PS and lights are on because the belt is either not turning the pulleys or the tech fell asleep during the assembly.

If you want to take pics or a video under the hood we can help more.

Either way it needs to be looked at, how you get it there is up to you.

Where r u in boston? If you're not too far, I could take a look

^:pervert:

The serpentine belt is not part of the 100k service, just the timing belt. I don't think it has to be removed either, but again, I'm not totally savvy under the hood.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...030fcf3468.png

Is the Serpentine Belt considered an acc drive belt? This is what they did

Yes. If anything is wrong with that belt, take it back to them for warranty repair. It could very well just be a busted power steering pump though. Any fluid leaks?

No leaks whatsoever. It is on snow and I would be able to see the leaks. Secondly, I just checked and the belt to the left of the engine is not on. It is just hanging there peacefully not attached. lol

Here are some pics…


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...06ed2381d6.jpg


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...19356a576d.jpg

Bamm.... that a girl! Good job looking on your own.

now did it run off a pulley, did the tensioner fail, or did the tech half a$$ it that day.

As a secondary thought... is it me or does that not look like a new belt?

Hard to tell from the pics. The old gears could have made the inside of the belt dirty. If she had asked for the old parts back, we would know for sure. ;)

Jessica, call the dealer and talk to the service manager. Tell him what has happened. I would request a tow from them (long shot). Make sure if you do get a tow to only use a flat bed (or get the back wheels on other wheels).

Here's an Update

I just got off the phone with Acura and they want the vehicle for a minimum of 4 hours. ( No FN way)

Secondly, my last service was on January 24th, 2014 and it will not be covered under the service warranty, but they did try to sell me new wiper blades and an cabin air filter.

I am going to see if I can put it back on myself. I did see a lot of snow build up from under the car because of the snow drifts, so maybe the snow had something to do with why it fell off.

-Jessica

I hate the dealer... :2cents:... I would tell them sure they can keep it for 4 hours once you get a loaner car.

no way... its ribbed for her pl... I mean its ribbed to keep that from happening.
I could understand if it was slipping, but to run off it had to be one of the things I mentioned.

See if you are close to Sniffles... maybe he can look at it.

Coming back to check on ya OP... any progress?

That's amazing. They forgot to put the belt on or something broke. I will not go to the dealer. I will light the car on fire before I go to the dealer. I would just pay any mechanic to fix that. Very mechanical issue.

Just standing by....
I had the Acura towed to a local guy I trust instead of the dealership that wanted to sell my windshield wiper blades. With the storms in the past few days, the RL is sitting patiently. I will have an update tomorrow...
Thank you to everyone who helped!!
-Jessica

Curious what Acura dealer you used or is your posting of the Bernardi Honda Brockton coupon my answer? I'm in for details on what your local indie shop finds and again curious who that is. I believe I am local and it's always good to have good indie shop recommendations. :thumbsup:

Ok I have the update on the Acura RL:

My Harmonic Balancer Pulley was shot to shit; center piece turned to rubber, or fell apart? not sure what that is..

Secondly, the power steering pump is leaking. I did not know this. He wants to replace that as well with my permission of course. He believes there is a "bad bearing".

I posted Bernardi's ad because I couldn't find the Acura one I used. It was verbatim the same. I took my car to Kevin's Auto in Taunton, MA. He has worked on my Honda Accords and has been real good to me.

-Jessica

Jessica -

For your reading pleasure - https://acurazine.com/forums/second-...issues-855179/

I will have to look up Kevin's in the future as I am in Attleboro.

Can't wait to get her back... all together it will be around 600 and that's including my synthetic oil change.
I have been driving a Jeep Wrangler to work and its an awful bumpy ride plus no heated seats. You don't know what you have until it's gone. lol

Similar issue, another variation
 

So I have an 06 RL, and last summer on the freeway I got the message "CCS". Car died about 10 min later, bad alternator. I replaced myself, everything was fine till December. Message came back. I then replaced the accessory serpentine belt. No difference. Replaced the battery, still happening. It goes away after running above 2500RPM, for a time. I've had the alternator checked at autozone 2x now, they say it's working fine (rippling 15.0-15.5 volts). Guy says it could be a meter giving a bad reading.

Anyone heard of what meter he might be talking about? I'm trying to avoid going to the stealer-ship. Any other ideas of what could be wrong?

LKAS = EPS

No LKAS = hydraulic.

Do you have any electrical issues?

i recently had my alternator changed too because all of sudden, my dash lit up like x-mas tree.
I immediately went into diagnostic mode to check voltage, shows 11.39 as reading.
turned all electrical output off(headlight, rear defog, heated seat) and was still only putting at 12.49 at idle.
was driving to see if it changed and under moderate load, it'd show 13.59.

another symptom of dead alternator is high pitch whine which occurs when car's cold.
hope that helps everyone having problem with check charging system in this area.

btw, Acura of Boston wanted $900 for the job and needed my car for 2 days.
Firestone did same job with oem parts for $524.

When the light comes on, it will sometimes cut the radio off, when driving around 2500 rpm. Like a flutter, the light will go off and on for a couple cycles.